Dharklady

This is a very different scent then I reach for but I really enjoy what's happening with it. In the bottle I'm getting salt, sweetness from the benzoin and a deeper/woodier incense note (the opium tar accord or labdanum?). Wet I'm getting  airy salt and plum over a nicely grounded woody sweetness. The plum disappears quickly, replaced with the opium. Mid drydown, the focus is all on the deeper notes. The airy combo combines and lingers for a good couple hours after. Decent throw (I get whiffs as I move around) and lasting power.

 

So grateful to my C2E fairy for nabbing me this. It is pure love. This wonderful blended mix of all the notes listed. They play super well together and play more as one note to my nose than a collection of notes. Overall the rose and apricot play support to the honeyed musk and Amber. So glad to have gotten a bottle

Oh wow. This is fantastic. Applied, the creamy vanilla is supported by a glowing frankincense note and the hint of a gentle amberine rose. Warming up it becomes more frankincense and rose smoothed over by that creamy vanilla. Sillage seems on the lower side but I'm hoping to see the lasting power noted above. Definitely a keeper for me.

Huh.

 

Yesterday when I tried this it was all thick patch/SO and very little sugar honeycomb. Today I'm getting all creamy sugar and honey and the patch in the SO is firmly in the background as a supporting player. I know I made sure to turn the decant a few times both times I tested it. I'm really hoping it plays consistently to the later and that the former was a fluke because wow, this is truly lovely blend when it behaves.

Wet: All coconut and almond all the time. A touch of sweetness. The wood note adds depth to the coconut/almond without being prominent.

 

As it dries the coconut and almond (which play surprisingly well together) calm down and the wood note is more noticeable in the blend. I’m not getting much sweetness but it’s also not “dusty” or “husky” which I often get with coconut and I attribute that to the honeyed amber. Light sillage and my skin appears to be eating it, but a fairly smooth creamy blend without being foodie will make it worth it for some folks!

Wet: Starts off with a definite floral note that varies between slightly green and slightly sweet on the fruity (peach). The musk adds both sweetness and amps the sharpness of the floral.

 

As it dries it smooths out and the floral note recedes without disappearing as a creamy sweet musk takes center stage. This feels light and fresh overall.

 

Ends up feeling like a musky soft floral with a hint of smooth sweetness.

This could and should have been so full of win but unfortunately something in it amps "sharp" on me, perhaps the rosewood. Aside from that it is a truly lovely blend, all woods and amber and a touch of vanilla with great sillage and lasting power.

I had high hopes for this blend, but sadly the cherry blossom appears to REALLY like my chemistry...

In bottle: soft bright floral, a bit of sharp greenery, and the slightest trace of a milky basenote.

 

On skin: Exuberant floral, which is at least clean and not overly sharp smelling but unfortunately it exists in that state on me throughout it's drydown. And continues. And continues. Sadly I can't find any of the other notes in this, the cherry blossom is simply too overpowering. Probably not a problem others will have, the rest of the notes sounded really nice.

first review in a while. Phew.

In the bottle this is all mint and peach. It's a slightly weird combo but it works surprisingly well.

Applied the mint calms down while still making its presence known and the peach warms up. It's gone a bit chewy and sweet and melds really nicely into a whole.

I keep catching whiffs in the air of a light vanillay (probably the marshmellow) minty peach. It's really nice.

Drydown finds the light vanilla (definitely the marshmellow- vanilla isnt the right word for it) and honied peach lingering for a decent length of time. Love it.

I adore this blend. In bottle I get mostly wood and a deep sweet peach. Wet, the patchouli is earthy and tempered by the modest peach. The wood keeps it from being gourmand while the sweet notes help keep it from being too dry. As it dries down they blend, making it more difficult to pick out the individual notes. Decent lasting power and strangely not a heavy scent, at least to me. Very wearable and I'm looking forward to rocking this all Fall and winter.

This captures the description perfectly and was super fun to try! Green and pepper notes from the radish lay over a slightly sweet earthy base. It's easy to see the influence of each part but it blends together into a whole that is greater. Great staying power (which is a novelty for me!) and decent throw. Once it's faded a bit it's also a fun combo with Gobo!

This is a gorgeous mix of deep chocolate and the lab's lovely jammy quince note when applied. I don't get a lot of morph and it's lasting power isn't fantastic on me (no surprise there!) it is definitely worth reapplying. A must try for chocolate/fruit lovers.

I was hoping for a bright layered fruit scent that combined the glorious freshness of peach without falling to it's artificial candy tendencies. While I'm not a huge floral fan I figured it was worth the risk.

 

This is a beautiful blend folks. It starts as a loud peach that quickly calms down. Drydown shows the bright peach notes are married with an almost spicy blend of the heavier fruits and floral notes that lift and ground the peach all at the same time. Seamless and beautiful. Normally blends fade relatively quickly on me. This one has more lasting power then most, though not as much as some. Decent throw as well.

for some aquatic love...

 

Mary Read sounds like it might be a good match and I don't think anyone suggested it yet:Salt air, ocean mist, aged patchouli, sarsaparilla, watered-down rum, leather-tinged musk, and a spray of gunpowder.

 

the Phoenix was another acquatic that combined the blood note and ocean.Sea air, gunpowder, lime, salt-crusted wood, a splash of blood, and a dribble of Snake Oil.

 

Dragon's Tears does sound like another good fit.

Wet, this is a lovely blend of smooth patchouli with a bright burst of true pomegranate and tamed by the combination of spices and oakmoss.

 

As it dries the pomegranate fades and leaves behind a gorgeously blended mix of moss and spice over some of the best patchouli I've ever smelt. The moss and black pepper are the strongest notes at this point.

 

This is more of a skin scent on me, with only a light throw, but the staying power is decent which is nice.

I'm with cfrancesca and Kittyhawk on this one. I got vanilla cake and an odd cocoa/chocolate note. Overall the whole has a very low throw though it's got great lasting power. I can see it being full of win for some folks but the cocoa/chocolate note is odd on me...

This is one of the first few sprays I tried and I'm pleased at how evocative it is! Freshly dug earth, the green snap of bruised grass, and a complex swirl of brighter notes (which make me think of sunshine!) really bring the outdoors inside. Definitely a must try for fans of grass or dirt notes.

So I finally got into trying Atmo sprays and I have to say that this one is definitely a winner! I haven't gotten a chance to try TKO yet, but if it's anything like Erebos it's pure love! I get a healthy dose of vanilla and lavender and it definitely feels fresh and comforting at the same time. I can't wait to try it before bedtime.

I was not prepared when testing Virginia since all of the other courtesans have a smooth sweetness to them. Virginia is completely different. First impression is a spicy white incense with an odd caramel base. This blend can’t seem to make up her mind about what she wants to be. There is a white, clean sharp component from the sandalwood, sage and juniper. Then there is a deeper spicy incense from the frankincense and musk. Then there is the caramel and orchid sandwiching it all together on either end. Sadly this is not my cup of tea and mildly headache inducing.

This opens up with a huge blast of florals. I want to say it’s the Easter lily that smells hauntingly familiar. The scent has a grounded deep red base thanks to the plum, berry, and pom. The heather, moss, and patchouli also work hard to balance the lily and jasmine. As it warms up this become fruity and spicier thanks to the clove and carnation. It’s still a floral, but it’s my kind of floral- where the flowers don’t steal the show and simply add to the complexity of the piece. Lola is busy, but well blended and beautiful. Sadly Lola is a fast fader, but her lingering trace is a spicy and delicious skin scent.

Take warm golden tobacco leaf and drench it in honey. Add a hint of smokey vanilla and then glaze it in a light lavender to calm down the sweetness. The hay, orris root, and sandalwood blend seamlessly into the lavender to help give it enough oomph to balance the sweeter components without going screamingly sharp. This is warm and smokey and sweet and absolutely delightful. She appears to have some staying power which is nice. Ninon is easily my favorite of the Courtesans and a must try for anyone who enjoys tobacco leaf.

Initial blast is strawberries, a nutty/woody bergamot (presumably due to the sandalwood) and a touch of sweet vanilla. As it warms up it becomes mostly strawberry and bergamot with a base of sandalwood and vanilla. The orchid and honey blend seamlessly into the mix in support roles that aren’t super noticeable. It feels just a touch candy-ish but in a fun flirty way, rather then foody.

Veronica starts with a dichotomy of juicy red fruits and strong florals, primarily ylang ylang and lily (though that could just be because I’m not super familiar with iris so it’s harder for me to pick out). The florals quickly come to the fore, with amber and moss grounding them. Sadly the pomegranate and black currant seems to be overwhelmed and settle back as barely noticeable supports . I’ll admit I’m biased against floral scents but these seem remarkably inoffensive. As this dries down further the red fruits emerge a little bit from hiding and becomes much more integrated balance between the lily/ylangylang, moss/amber, and pom/blackcurrant. A good blend to try for those who can't always do florals or fruit.

Celeste is a light blend. Definitely a mature vanilla and not particularly sweet though there is no question it’s vanilla. The floral and saffron make it complex and add depth while the orris adds a dryness that comes out as it warms up. The orchid becomes a touch more pronounced as it warms up as well. This is a gorgeous blend and very feminine.

It seems appropriate that Spanked comes out swinging and then calms down to a smooth but flirty finish. The cardamom translates to red hot cinnamon upon application, which will hopefully calm down with some aging (it’s already better then when first tested upon arrival). As the scent warms up the cinnamon slowly fades to reveal a gorgeous bourbon and leather combination. The leather is the smooth leather of Dee and slightly sweet from the bourbon. It wafts about for a good long while though it’s hard to catch it close to the skin. If you can weather the cardamom, this is a fantastic scent for those who enjoy leather notes.